Today's quick thought is about change. 

 

It's finally fall, at least here in the South. It has been hot and brutally dry down here, but the season is finally changing. That change got me thinking about change in general.

 

I was recently at some training for a utility board that I sit on in Hamilton county. Few industries are as loathe to change as utilities, but the amount of change staring them in the face is breathtaking. Regulatory, customer service, information systems, distribution processes, an old and aging infrastructure - an avalanche of change.

 

I'm reminded of a quote from a book I've been reading recently (You Lost Me by David Kinnamon): 'Our world would be all but unrecognizable to someone transplanted here from the early 20th century.' That is 100 years - about how long the Cubs waited for that glorious, beautiful World Series title. 

 

In our workforces today, there are people who formed their habits and work when there were no computers and there are those that have no memories without them. Not only does everything change; everything is changing faster and faster. 

 

We do not prepare for change by sticking our head in the ground and ignoring it, or by wishing that it wasn't so. Nostalgia has little value. What we do is harness the urgency of our changing environment and communicate that to our people. We lay out how immediate and necessary change is, why the old way won't work anymore, and how we are going to prepare for the future. 

 

Are you ready for a new environment? Are you keeping up with the latest trends in your industry? How about threats and opportunities? More importantly: are you letting your people know about these issues? Are you preparing them for what is happening? Are you providing training and resources for them to grow and adapt? 

 

We can help you manage the stormy seas. Connect with us today. And that's your Tuesday Quick Thought.